DWS Country Programs
Nepal
DWS Nepal helped the Jagriti Samuha group in Banke district, western Nepal install a water pump to irrigate their fields. |
Nepal is a poor country with a fledgling democracy severely challenged by a Maoist insurgency that has intensified its level of killing, abduction and sabotage, resulting in thousands of civilian deaths from Maoist attacks and aggressive government responses. In addition, 103,000 Bhutanese refugees in seven camps in southeast Nepal constitute a decade-long refugee problem and human rights crisis.
The LWF/DWS Nepal Program started in 1984, committed to empowerment of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups to achieve for themselves a just and sustainable livelihood. There is an increasing focus on advocacy and networking to support the efforts of civil society, particularly representing the disadvantaged and addressing injustice.
Advocacy and Networking
Many young girls are denied their right to education in remote places of western Nepal. DWS Nepal implements an education program to empower children and provides scholarships to disadvantaged girls. |
Advocacy efforts of the LWF/DWS Nepal Program are primarily focused on disadvantaged groups who are subject to severe discrimination, primarily Dalits (untouchables), freed Kamaiyas (bonded laborers), Bhutanese refugees and women in general. The aim is to enable oppressed groups to raise their voices and assert their rights locally and at district, national and international levels. Public awareness advocacy, civil society networks and the international profile of the LWF program facilitate important links between local, national, regional and international organizations, and reinforces awareness of broad support for rights based activities.
Development through Empowerment
Members of the Hareram Ram Ekta group in their meeting hall in Banke district. Their first school was built with assistance from a local NGO that is supported by DWS Nepal. |
Twelve projects for development through empowerment are working with 72 Village Development Committees and a wide variety of local NGOs. These partnerships have enabled projects to accomplish many tasks in spite of disruptions caused by the spreading conflict. Working especially with disadvantaged groups, the projects include: micro-credit programs; agricultural livelihood; gender sensitive HIV/AIDS/STI education; and Dalit rights awareness and empowerment.
Relief and Rehabilitation
A girl shows the pulses and salt distributed to the victims of flooding that hit Nepal in October 2004. |
Relief and rehabilitation projects focus on the Bhutanese refugees, refugee-affected areas and overall disaster preparedness. In the refugee camps, activities include awareness raising and protection of children's rights, assistance to establish kitchen gardens, gender sensitive HIV/AIDS awareness classes for youth and gender, and leadership and vocational training. Refugees are assisted in maintaining shelters, providing clean drinking water and maintaining schools, health clinics, latrines and centers for children and people with disabilities. The project supports partner implementing agencies with building repair and vehicle maintenance.
The aim of the project with refugee-affected areas is to mitigate the adverse impact of the large refugee presence on the host community. Activities include public health awareness training, income generation projects, vocational training for the deaf, gender sensitive HIV/AIDS awareness classes for youth and people at high risk, classroom construction, small irrigation projects and river bank protection.
The disaster preparedness project works cooperatively with other NGOs in the establishment, training and support of community based disaster management committees.
Web site of the LWF/DWS Nepal program.
For further information please contact:
Ms Elsa Moreno, Program Officer
Local representative
Mr Marceline P. Rozario, Representative.
